New Delhi: McLaren Racing is gearing up for quite a big reveal, with its upcoming World Endurance Championship (WEC) hypercar set to be unveiled on May 4th. The new race machine, expected to compete at the iconic 24 Hours of Le Mans from next year, will also branch out into an exclusive track-only GTR version for an exclusive group of customers.
The two models, dubbed the MCL-HY race car and MCL-HY GTR, have been developed in close collaboration between McLaren Racing and McLaren Automotive, highlighting a closer integration between the brand’s motorsport and road car arms. Ahead of the official unveiling, McLaren has offered a small glimpse of the car’s design, showcasing a distinctive lighting signature that indicates that the car will be a little more rounded and come with an evolved front-end compared to earlier concepts.
McLaren’s MCL-HY GTR design elements
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From the latest teaser, visually, it appears to be a departure from the original car revealed when McLaren had revealed that they would be competing in the WEC hypercar class. The accent lights are now a continuous LED strip flowing across the lower front section, giving the car a cleaner and more rounded appearance.
The overall design appears more cohesive and aerodynamic, in line with current hypercar regulations.
Under the skin, the race-spec MCL-HY is expected to be powered with a twin-turbocharged V6 engine supplied by Autotecnica Motori, and is likely to be mated with a Dallara-developed chassis. Details of the road-going GTR variant are less and most is under wraps. Speculation suggests it could come with a V8 powertrain to deliver the aggressive track driving experience.
This marks McLaren’s return to producing a hardcore GTR model, almost a decade after the Senna GTR, and signals a renewed push towards both endurance racing and ultra-exclusive track-focused machines. More details, including final specifications, will be revealed when the cars make their global debut next week. McLaren has had a renewed energy and has said they have major plans to be revealed for their future this summer.